.png&width=100&height=100&type=webp)
Thursday, November 30
Boca Raton, Fla.
6:00 PM ET
Liberty University
6-1,0-0CUSA
58
at
83
Florida Atlantic
6-1,0-0AAC
1
2
F
Liberty
27
31
58
Fla. Atlantic
44
39
83
No. 13 FAU Hands Liberty First Loss, 83-58
11/30/2023 9:18:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BOCA RATON, Fla. – No. 13 Florida Atlantic handed Liberty its first loss of the season, defeating the Flames 83-58 on Thursday evening in the first game of the Field of 68 Media Network Tip-Off event.
FAU bumps its record to 6-1 and has won four straight games. Liberty falls to 6-1 after the setback.
Flames sophomore point guard Colin Porter led the visitors with a season-high 16 points, and Kaden Metheny joined Porter in double figures with 10 points.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Colin Porter 16 points, 3-5 3FG, 2 steals; Kaden Metheny 10 points, 5 rebounds; Gabriel McKay 8 points, 3-3 FG
Florida Atlantic Individuals: Alijah Martin 20 points, 8-13 FG, 6 rebounds, 3 steals; Vladislav Goldin 18 points, 7-9 FG, 4-4 FT, 7 rebounds; Bryan Greenlee 12 points, 4-8 FG
Key Team Stats: FAU held a 46-26 edge in points in the paint. The last time the Flames gave up that many points in the paint was in last season's 75-71 setback at Wisconsin (March 19, 2023) in the NIT second round when the Badgers had exactly 46 points in the paint. The Owls also held edge in rebounding (39-29) points off turnovers (18-13), second chance points (16-15), fast break points (10-7) and bench points (30-14). The Owls shot 54.5 percent (30-of-55) from the field and 50 percent (7-of-14) from three-point territory. Liberty shot 37.5 percent (21-of-56) on the night and connected on 32 percent (8-of-25) of its three-point shots. FAU knocked down 16-of-21 free throws (76.2 percent) and Liberty hit 57.1 percent (8-of-14).
Thoughts From Head Coach Ritchie McKay
"They're incredibly impressive. Their cohesion makes them a really tough out. They made us unlike the best version of ourselves. I love our guys. I love our group. We have a good team. We got a little exposed tonight by how physical they were. It's 21 trips to the line and 13 turnovers. That's a recipe for disaster. We'll learn from it. It's a good chance to reel it back in tomorrow and another opportunity to play."
Turning Point
Two significant runs in the game propelled FAU to the victory. Leading 18-15 with 9:29 to play in the first half following a dunk from the Flames' Joseph Venzant, the Owls went on a 12-0 run over the next 4:18 to take control of the game and build a 30-15 lead. Giancarlo Rosado's layup at the 5:11 mark gave FAU the 15-point lead. The hosts took a 44-27 lead into the locker room.
In the second half, Liberty held FAU scoreless for a stretch of 3:36, and the Flames trimmed the deficit to 62-48 with 7:42 remaining. The Owls answered with a 17-2 surge to put the game out of reach and go ahead 79-50 with 3:26 left.
Key Stats & Notes
Liberty will play its second game in as many days when it faces Charleston (3-3) tomorrow evening in the second game of the Field of 68 Media Network Tip-Off event. Game time is 6 p.m. at FAU's Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena and can be seen on FloHoops.
The Flames are 0-2 all-time against the Cougars, but the two teams have not played since Jan. 26, 1991.
FAU bumps its record to 6-1 and has won four straight games. Liberty falls to 6-1 after the setback.
Flames sophomore point guard Colin Porter led the visitors with a season-high 16 points, and Kaden Metheny joined Porter in double figures with 10 points.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Colin Porter 16 points, 3-5 3FG, 2 steals; Kaden Metheny 10 points, 5 rebounds; Gabriel McKay 8 points, 3-3 FG
Florida Atlantic Individuals: Alijah Martin 20 points, 8-13 FG, 6 rebounds, 3 steals; Vladislav Goldin 18 points, 7-9 FG, 4-4 FT, 7 rebounds; Bryan Greenlee 12 points, 4-8 FG
Key Team Stats: FAU held a 46-26 edge in points in the paint. The last time the Flames gave up that many points in the paint was in last season's 75-71 setback at Wisconsin (March 19, 2023) in the NIT second round when the Badgers had exactly 46 points in the paint. The Owls also held edge in rebounding (39-29) points off turnovers (18-13), second chance points (16-15), fast break points (10-7) and bench points (30-14). The Owls shot 54.5 percent (30-of-55) from the field and 50 percent (7-of-14) from three-point territory. Liberty shot 37.5 percent (21-of-56) on the night and connected on 32 percent (8-of-25) of its three-point shots. FAU knocked down 16-of-21 free throws (76.2 percent) and Liberty hit 57.1 percent (8-of-14).
Thoughts From Head Coach Ritchie McKay
"They're incredibly impressive. Their cohesion makes them a really tough out. They made us unlike the best version of ourselves. I love our guys. I love our group. We have a good team. We got a little exposed tonight by how physical they were. It's 21 trips to the line and 13 turnovers. That's a recipe for disaster. We'll learn from it. It's a good chance to reel it back in tomorrow and another opportunity to play."
Turning Point
Two significant runs in the game propelled FAU to the victory. Leading 18-15 with 9:29 to play in the first half following a dunk from the Flames' Joseph Venzant, the Owls went on a 12-0 run over the next 4:18 to take control of the game and build a 30-15 lead. Giancarlo Rosado's layup at the 5:11 mark gave FAU the 15-point lead. The hosts took a 44-27 lead into the locker room.
In the second half, Liberty held FAU scoreless for a stretch of 3:36, and the Flames trimmed the deficit to 62-48 with 7:42 remaining. The Owls answered with a 17-2 surge to put the game out of reach and go ahead 79-50 with 3:26 left.
Key Stats & Notes
- Porter's 16 points were a season high by three points. The sophomore's previous season best was 13 points against Wichita State, Nov. 17. Porter is averaging 10.1 ppg through seven games.
- Tonight's game was Liberty's first against an AP Top 25 team since facing No. 19 Alabama on Nov. 11, 2022. The Flames fall to 0-20 all-time against ranked teams, including an 0-12 mark against top-15 competition.
- Liberty committed a season-high 13 turnovers, its most in a game since turning it over 14 times against Villanova in last year's NIT first round (62-57 win).
- FAU's 83 points tonight are the most the Flames have allowed since giving up 88 to Kennesaw State on Feb. 16, 2023.
- The Flames fall to 1-2 all-time against the Owls. Tonight's meeting was the first between the two schools in nearly 21 years (Dec. 20, 2002).
- Gabriel McKay scored eight points on 3-of-3 shooting in only 9:58 of action and was a +5 in his time on the court. McKay's eight points are his second most in a game in a Flames uniform.
- Liberty's 25-point margin of defeat was its largest since falling 95-59 at No. 19 Alabama a season ago.
Liberty will play its second game in as many days when it faces Charleston (3-3) tomorrow evening in the second game of the Field of 68 Media Network Tip-Off event. Game time is 6 p.m. at FAU's Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena and can be seen on FloHoops.
The Flames are 0-2 all-time against the Cougars, but the two teams have not played since Jan. 26, 1991.
Team Stats
Lib
FAU
FG%
.375
.545
3FG%
.320
.500
FT%
.571
.762
RB
29
39
TO
13
11
STL
3
11
Game Leaders
Pts
16
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
3
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballStep Into My Office with Ritchie McKay
Tuesday, September 30
Kaden Metheny & Zach Cleveland Talk About The Upcoming Season
Tuesday, September 23
Jesse Sanders: Faith in the Fight
Thursday, May 01
Coach McKay, Kaden Metheny & Zach Cleveland Talk About The Game Against Oregon
Saturday, March 22